Hope Springs Fire
by BoleynofAragon21
Summary: hunger games x-over. mary risks her freedom for her sister but her father tosses her anyway, pitting them against each other in the 74 anual hunger games.
1. Chapter 1

**My husband's idea and mine. i own nothing.**

Mary watched as they picked her sister from the crowds. She could not stand and watch her sister enter this massacre, she volunteered.

Henry rose from his seat and the ceremony was put on halt. If one daughter could enter why not the other? It would provide for better entertainment and a lesson for all the citizens of Panem -that no one, absolutely no one was above the law.

* * *

"I think this is a wonderful opportunity for you. That, even if you are going to be here for just a little while you get to enjoy all of this and despite your illegitimate status" she made an emphasis on illegitimate "you will get to be treated as the Princesses you were once."

Mary rolled her eyes. Her sister looked at her with contempt. She hoped that when she volunteered she would be free to be with her mum. She was wrong.

"Let me see if I can find Haymitch. He is probably at the bar."

"Look Mary we don't have to pretend I know what you think of me and my mother but I want to thank you for volunteering in my stead. Thanks for saving me."

Mary looked at her stretched hand. "It was not for you" She said and before Elizabeth could ask anymore the door slid open and entered a blond, tall man, with long hair who looked like he hadn't slept or shaved in days.

"Well congratulations." He said to the two Princesses. "Where is the ice?" He sighed and went to sit down.

Elizabeth looked to Mary but she refused to see her sister or anyone else, so she asked the question that was on both their minds "Okay, so when do we start?"

"Woah, woah, so eager, most of you are not in such a hurry to get started ... whatever." He pushed a hair out of his drink and continued drinking.

"Well, you are our mentor so mentor us." Elizabeth said, her voice rising.

"What?"

"I said you are our mentor you are supposed to give us advice."

"Ah, okay here it is. Be prepared and write a letter to your families and know in your heart that there is nothing I can do to save you."

Elizabeth's face hardened.

Mary spoke for the first time. "So why are you here then?"

"Refreshments dearie" He answered, Mary groaned. Just when she thought she or her sister could have a chance they get this clown.

"I think you've had enough" Elizabeth said and went for his drink but he pushed her down, Mary jumped to her feet and got in between him and her sister.

They stood face to face, next to him she was a midget, a dwarf but she stood up to him anyway with the same amount of defiance he had seen in her father's eyes.

"Look sweethearts you want to survive you better accept the reality you two could be killed while in your sleep or in some god awful way by you or you."  
He laughed "You just made me spill my drink hon." And he left, stumbling as he did.

Mary sighed and sat back down. "He is going to come around."

"Wait, Bess no! It's no use" But her sister was already out of earshot.

* * *

**_Ah, this is my favorite moment. Don't you just love this? Fifteen year old, they always make good tributes._**

Claudius Tempersmith chuckled. **_Yeah, they do._**

**_Oh, oh but here is my favorite part._** The image paused enhancing the view of the darker skinned tribute holding a brick from the ruins of the old city of somewhere called London and raising it at the unconscious tribute. **_The part where a tribute becomes a victor._**

Mary could not to watch it any longer and turned off the screen.

**i watched the hunger games with my husband while we were at our friend's house and the idea came to us if the tudors was the dynasty ruling over panem instead of president snow.**


	2. Chapter 2

_We could do it you know. Run off live in the woods. _He said.

_They'd catch us._

_Maybe not._

_Cut out our tongues or worse. _

_Maybe not, _He insisted._ We would go and live on our own._

_We wouldn't make it five miles._

_No, I get five miles. I would go there._

_We can't, I have my mother and you have your brothers._

_Then we take them._

_My mother in the woods? _

__He smirked and gazed down _Yeah maybe not._

__Elizabeth woke from her slumber. They could've done it, avoid all of this.

* * *

Mary walked to the main car. Effie Trinket wore a different wig, the color of her dress was the same as her wig, purple and she was powdering her face.

She was unaware of Mary. Haymitch sat in front of her sister discussing tactics while drinking his coffee.

"You go near lakes, if they don't send parachute you know water is near."

"What after I have water I find high ground?"

"They may not have high ground." He said. "Easiest thing to do is stay low, find shelter."

"I light a fire then?"

Haymitch smirked "That's a good way to get killed."

"What's a good way to get killed?" Mary asked.

"Mary, I was just talking to Haymitch here about finding shelter."

"Yes but you might not be interested. Pass the marmalade."

"So how do you find shelter?" Mary asked sitting down, interested to hear what he would say.

"Pass the marmalade hon."

"How. Do. You. Find. Shelter." She said deadly serious, her eyes piercing his.

He groaned. "Give me a chance sweetheart to wake up! This mentoring thing is very taxing stuff." Then said as he moved his hand to the marmalade "Now would you please-"

Mary grabbed a knife and plunged it between his fingers.

Elizabeth gasped and Effie Trinket yelled in outrage as if a great sin had been committed "That is mahogany!"

"Wow look at you, you just killed a place-mat." Haymitch commented, not in the least shocked, taking the knife. "You want to know how to stay alive? You get people to like you."

Mary blinked.

"Oh, not quite what you expected?"

"That has nothing to do with winning the games."

"It has everything to do with winning the games sweetheart and right now sweetheart you are not off to a very good start." He gave a big bite to his toast.

"You are supposed mentor us into surviving these games not to be actors."

"The Hunger Games is a play sweetheart and whether you want it or not and your father, our _honorable_ Henry the Eighth since he took the throne of Panem made it clear he wants all Hunger Games to quote be the greatest show on the face of the earth. His words sweetheart not mine."

"Isn't that right?" He asked turning to Bess.

"Yes."

"Bess!"

"It's true" Was all her sister said.

She turned to Haymitch, part of her still clung to the belief that her father would spare her but the more practical side of her said that was never going to happen and if she wanted to survive she had to make Haymitch speak.

"I don't believe you."

"Well let me tell you when you are freezing or starving to death. Bread, water, even matches can be the difference between life or death. And those things come from sponsor and right now sweetheart you are doing a poor job impressing me."

"Oh my god" Bess said rising from her chair. "Look that's it!" she went to the window. "I don't remember it being so huge." She had been to the First Capitol only once. After her father divorced her mother they had moved to Greenwich outside the Capitol. Her mother said she was born there but she had little memories of it.

As the train reached the station they found a multitude waiting for them screaming how much they loved them and holding out posters and signs.

"Elizabeth we love you!"

"You are our Princess!" They said.

"Come on!" Bess encouraged turning to her sister but Mary did not move from her seat. She watched Bess wave her hand and receiving more cheers.

"He seems to know what he is doing." Haymitch said handing her the knife "You better keep this, it might come in handy

* * *

**hello and thankyou to my reviewers. i will update my other stories very soon.**


	3. Chapter 3

The Capitol was as Mary had expected. Bessie wasted no time in telling their hairstylist, Cinna, how her hair should be done. "Isn't it exciting? We are going to be the first two women since my mother's mother participated in the games?"

Mary's face became arresting at the mention of the girl's grandmother. Elizabeth, just like her and their grandmother, the lady of York. Elizabeth Howard had been an opportunist and her daughter grew up the same way.

She didn't know if she could stand through another session. Haymitch was telling them how they should win the public, hold hands but Mary refused.

Elizabeth seemed hurt but the precocious little girl didn't let Mary see through her emotions. She kept a cool face as they stepped on to the Roman carriages that led them through the marble road where they'd be paraded before a live audience.

Everyone was throwing roses at the first groups. The first two districts (unsurprisingly) were the favorites. Mary sighed and tried to appear uninterested but Bessie could see as well as Haymitch that Mary yearned to be part of that popular circle that the first two districts were part of.

"It will be ok." Mary said nothing but then as their carriage went forward and the flames were ignited, Bessie grasped her hand. Mary tried to yank her hand away but Bessie held on strong. She had their father's strength and would not give up. "Come on. The crowds will love it."

Mary tried to shake her head but as soon as she saw red roses, the symbol of their house, being thrown at them, she could not help it. She and Bessie raised their hands triumph. Up until now, she hadn't seen herself until she looked at the large screens, up above them and she saw that not only where they on flames but their red hair, their red eye contacts made it seem like they were descendants from the God of fire, Vulcan, himself.

"My god ..." she trailed off as Bessie waved with her other hand at the crowds.

"Bessie we love you! Our ROSE PRINCESS!"

"Princess Elizabeth!" They all screamed.

For Mary there was nothing but awe mixed with fear.

_So I'm not part of their cheers. Well, what of it Mary? This is what you asked for, didn't you? At least you know that you are fearless, not a bubbly idiot striving for approval._

Personally Bess could have all the attention. If that meant her more sponsors and saving her life, so be it. She was young, she was old. It was a fair deal. If one of the two had to survive, it would be her.


End file.
